Slitting and dicing machine for fiberglass mat and mats of other brittle abrasive fibers

Abstract

A machine for slicing matting of brittle fiber material comprising an elastomeric coated anvil roller and a slicer roller having a plurality of cutting discs mounted on an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the anvil roller, which depress the matting into the elastomeric material of the anvil roller sufficiently to break the brittle fibers. The sliced matting can then be conveniently cut transversely on the same machine, if desired, to form diced brittle fiber matting. The diced matting, e.g., of fiberglass is a way of facilitating the separation of short fibers from fiberglass matting to produce raw material for forming new matting, or the diced brittle fiber matting, e.g., fiberglass or carbon fiber matting may be used as such.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for slitting matting of brittle fiber material, comprising: a frame;   a generally cylindrical anvil roller rotatably mounted on the frame, the outer cylindrical surface of the anvil roller having its outer cylindrical surface substantially covered with an elastomeric material;   a generally cylindrical cutter roller rotatably mounted on the frame;   a plurality of cutting blades disposed lengthwise on an outer surface of the cutter roller, the cutter roller being mounted with respect to the anvil roller such that the cutting blades deform the elastomeric surface of the anvil roller sufficiently to cut brittle fiber material by breaking the fibers;   a slicing roller including a plurality of spaced-apart cutting discs rotatably mounted on an axis parallel to the axis of the anvil roller and disposed with respect to the anvil roller such that the cutting discs on the slicing roller deform the elastomeric material on the anvil roller sufficiently to cut brittle fiber material by breaking the fibers;   a plurality of feed fingers resiliently mounted adjacent the anvil roller, each feed finger extending between adjacent cutting discs extending from the slicing roller, each feed finger having a distal end bent in the direction of the line of contact of the anvil roller and the cutter roller;   means for spring biasing the feed fingers toward the anvil roller; and   a feed path through which the mats of brittle fiber material are fed, first between the slicer roller and the anvil roller and, second, between the cutter roller and the anvil roller.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: the cutting blades on the cutter roller being helically disposed on the outer cylindrical surface of the cutter roller.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising; the cutting blades on the cutter roller being aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cutter roller.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: the slicer roller being slideably mounted and urged downwardly into engagement with the anvil roller.   
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the cutting blades on the cutter roller being helically disposed on the outer cylindrical surface of the cutter roller; and   at least one of the anvil roller and cutter roller being slideably mounted on the frame and urged into engagement with the other of the anvil roller and cutter roller.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: the slicer roller having a cylindrical portion disposed on a shaft rotably mounted above the anvil roller, with a plurality of disc-like protrusions extending from the outer cylindrical surface on the cylindrical portion, generally at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus for slitting matting of brittle fiber material, comprising: a frame;   an anvil roller rotatably mounted on the frame, the anvil roller having an outer surface substantially covered with an elastomeric material;   a cutter roller rotatably mounted on the frame;   a plurality of cutting blades disposed on an outer surface of the cutter roller, the cutter roller being mounted with respect to the anvil roller such that the cutting blades deform the elastomeric surface of the anvil roller to cut brittle fiber material;   a slicing roller including a plurality of spaced-apart cutting discs rotatably mounted on an axis parallel to the axis of the anvil roller and disposed with respect to the anvil roller such that the cutting discs on the slicing roller deform the elastomeric material on the anvil roller sufficiently to cut brittle fiber material by breaking the fibers;   a plurality of feed fingers resiliently mounted adjacent the anvil roller, each feed finger extending between adjacent pairs of the cutting discs, each feed finger having a distal end bent in the direction of the line of contact of the anvil roller and the cutter roller;   means for spring biasing the feed fingers toward the anvil roller; and   a feed path through which the mats of brittle fiber material are fed, first between the slicer roller and the anvil roller and, second, between the cutter roller and the anvil roller.